What will be the impact of rapid melting of mountain glaciers due to global warming on surface runoff?

Correct answer: Initially, runoff and floods in rivers will increase

The correct answer is B: runoff and river flooding will initially increase. Glaciers store water as ice. When warming causes rapid melting, a large amount of meltwater enters streams and rivers within a relatively short time, increasing surface runoff and discharge. If the melting is rapid and rainfall also occurs, channels may overflow and flood risk rises. A is wrong because meltwater adds to flow rather than stopping it. B is correct for the immediate or initial impact. C is not the direct result described; groundwater response depends on infiltration, geology and later water availability. D is wrong because warming promotes melting, not solidification. Over a longer period, continued glacier loss may reduce the stored ice available for seasonal river flow, so the word initially is important. Memory cue: rapid melt first means more water; long-term ice loss can later mean less reliable flow.